1. Field of the Invention
The present invention discloses a freight container and, more particularly, a collapsible cargo container constructed of a series of interconnected and powder impression molded panels. Each of the panels are formed about an interlocking skeletal structure associated with a side, end, top or bottom panel. The panels are typically hinged together and are collapsible in a stacked manner which provides the advantages of lightweight and ease of shipment. The assembled container further defines a waterproof and floatable/towable cargo holding enclosure, such as for use offshore offloading and transport of cargo shipments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is well documented with various examples of shipping container devices. These typically exhibit a standardized, six-sided configuration and, in a number of variants, are capable of being collapsed or reduced in size when not in use and in a desire to provide desired space savings during transport or storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,602, issued to Clark, teaches a collapsible container with improved fastener assemblies and which is formed from a plurality of lightweight, insulating panel members each detachably secured together along their respective edges by fastener assemblies, such further including a stud formed of a synthetic plastic material and a stud receiving element formed of a softer synthetic plastic material to lock the stud in a fully fastened condition. A pallet, associated with a fully loaded container, serves as a skid in receiving the disassembled panel members in a knocked down, nested condition.
A further example is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,334, issued to Ruiz et al., and which teaches a self-contained, six-sided, reusable container for goods and including both an assembled form and a collapsed form. In the collapsed configuration, the ends and sides are stored between a sandwiching top and bottom. In the preferred embodiment, the ends are hinged to the bottom and fold inwardly thereupon. The sides and ends are interconnected while the container is in its assembled form, such as by utilizing an attachable corner hook latching mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,179, issued to Richter, teaches a collapsible box-type, waterproof shipping container including pivoting end walls and bi-folding side walls. The end walls pivot inwardly of the container to lie on its base, the side walls folding longitudinally to lie upon the end walls. In this fashion, the side and end walls are enclosed within the base structure when collapsed, and the top wall completely seals the side and end walls from the exterior.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,669, issued to McQuiston, teaches an elongated and box-like cargo container and by which its end walls can be pivoted longitudinally inwardly and downwardly to collapsed horizontal positions atop the bottom walls. The side walls each include hingedly connected upper and lower panels and are likewise capable of being pivoted inwardly to horizontally collapsed positions relative to a base and between the top wall and end walls.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,698, issued to Dougherty, teaches a collapsible rectangular shipping container having opposed horizontally-hinged sidewalls which can be collapsed or folded inwardly and downwardly to allow the top and bottom walls to sandwich together. Further included are folding ends which fold over in order to cover the collapsed structure.
Additional references of note include Hughes, U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,386, which teaches a collapsible shipping container having a rectangular base and four side walls pivotally attached thereto and foldable from an erect configuration to a collapsed condition. Captive fastener means on the walls are operated to interconnect in the erected condition. The entire shipping container is constructed of plastic material without the inclusion of any metal parts.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,202, issued to Meachem et al., teaches a transport container having a base and a plurality of side walls perpendicularly connected to form a container having an inner cavity. The side walls are formed of first and second wall panels hingedly connected so that first or upper wall panels may fold down relative to second or lower wall panels to collapse the transport container after use. The first and second wall panels are hingedly connected by an elongated flexible hinge. Edge portions of the first walls panels further include coupling assemblies that are designed to selectively connect and disconnect adjacent first wall panels.